Means for stabilizing flying-machines



8. DE SANTIS. MEANS FOR STABILIZING FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILE D DEC-26,1919- Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEY).

5. DE SANTIS. MEANS FOR STABiLIZlNG ELYING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC-26,1919.

1,360,198. Pz ztented Nov. 23, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 TTOFA/EKJ All UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SALVA'TORE DE SANTIS, 0F NAPLES, ITALY.

MEANS FOR STABILIZING FLYING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 23, 19.20.

Application filed December 26, 1919. Serial No. 347,376.

tion the same described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 show diagrammatically the improved stabilizing means applied to a hydroplane, Figs. 4c, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the same means to an aeroplane.

The invention is characterized by a special connection between the body -B-- of the apparatus (fuselage in the case of an aeroplane Figs. t to 9 or hull in the case of a hydroplane, Figs. 1 to 3) and the elements -lof the wings. The connection is formed by a longitudinal hinged rod which allows the element -13- and the elements -kto freely oscillate in the transverse direction about the center -D-- and by a resilient connection (not shown) which reacts and lessens said oscillation. As shown in the figures the center of gravity -Grof the body -B-- is placed below the center of oscillation -D--- so that the body --B-- is held in an upright position and by means of the resilient connection the ole ment A- is held in its normal position. It the planes oscillate toward the opposite direction about the center -D, the

said planes on account of the resilient connection will take with them also the body E of the apparatus. But the resilient connection, in such case, under the reaction of the weight .--P-, applied to the center of gravity --G- of the body ---B, will be deformed, which deformation increases with the increased oscillation of the planes --A-. Therefore, to each transverse displacement of the element or plane -A-. there is produced an angular. movement -S.-- between the vertical axis of -V-A- and the axis of i --B-, the amplitude of the movement be ing proportional to the degree of the oscillation of the element A, the maximum denatic control of the device operating the. lateral stabilizing wings E-.

purpose, the points --0/-- --Z)'- through which pass the cables -t-t-- for controlhug the stabilizing wings -E- from the body ----B-, areiocated at a convenient distance on each side of the tilting center D-. so that for every variation of the tilting angle is produced a corresponding variation of the distance the cables -tand --t move, and of course of the automatic movements of the wings -E- which thing occurs without moving the commanding mem- Now, as the cables -t. and ---t are crossed before being attached to For that v the wings --E when the whole apparatus is tilted, the wing on the side of the plane which lowers, is lowered and the otherwing is raised, 1n the same way as it would be produced by the controlling members operated by the pilot.

With reference to Fig. 9, it is a diagrammatic illustration oi the system iust de scribed, the machine flying in perfect equilibrium. li. a disturbing action is applied in such a manner to generate an excess of reaction -llp (for instance upon the right plane of the element A-, Fig. 1) it is evident that under the influence of such reaction, the element is tilted toward the opposite direction, tending to take with. it also the body B -oi the apparatus through the resilient connection -.--c- -e'--. But as a consequence of the temporary reaction due to the inertia of the mass and to the steady reaction of the weight P-- oi the body B-, the position of the latter, with relation to the planes, varies gradually and dc. :rniines the tilting angle -S-. To this angle corresponds a proportional variation for the two sides toward. the opposite direction, of. the distance ass -?2-- and -a'-- --b-- oi the passages of the cables *1?- -t'-- onthe body .--B-- to the element -A- and a corresponding inclination of the wings -E-, that is to say the wing of the lowering plane is lowered and vice versa (Fig. 2). Such automatic movement of the wings produces a reaction -Rc (Fig. 2) upon the lowering plane, counteracting the disturbance "R19 upon the opposite plane. Till this latter reaction prevails, the phenomenon stated will continue toward the same -directi.on.- But" as these movements have a progressive motion, proportional to the inclination that the element -A is of the pilot control.

only by the movements, I ceptible, by the apparatus. 1 if the disturbing action assuming, the latter will reach a position in which R@ will be equal to R7) and there being no disturbance of equilibrium the inclination of the whole will stop in such position. Upon the action of the disturbing reaction Rp decreasing the reaction Re generated by the position of the wings -E- gradually returns the apparatus to its position of normal equilibrium. As this occurs, also the degree of the angle S is reduced, and consequently also the inclination of the wings E- and their reaction toward the equilibrium. When the whole has reached the normal position, it remains in such position. In fact, thesto'pping of whole in the several positions of equilibrium,

is in practice preceded by a series of periodical osclllations about the final position,

which oscillations are due to the inertia of the mass, the duration, inthe ordinary systems depending from the extinguishing quality of the whole. But in the present system, the duration is greatly reduced by the opposed action automatically developed by the wings which react in both directions with their alternate movements.

From what has been hereinbefore said, it results in an absolute impossibility of the apparatus of overturning in the transverse direction, with no necessity for the pilot to intervene.

But the longitudinal stability is not guaranteed, because as a consequence of the transverse inclination of the whole an alteration of said stability takes place, which alteration can be only corrected by the pilot. Of course it is only corrected but not eliminated as the pilots action follows the said alteration. Thence the reason of serious difficulties, for what relates to the efliciency of the flight and for the safety, especially when there are some other aeroplanes or any obstacle is near to the line of flight. lVith the system, according to the present invention,-it is possible, to avoid in time the transverse inclination of the whole, and consequently any drifting movement, by means This control is called for by the disturbing action itself, with its presence, and not by its effects, as usually is in the case in which the. pilot perceives it not always per- Tn fact, see Fig. R7) determines a traction on the cables t -25- the traction beside acting upon the wings E-, acts with the same intensity also upon the controlling member C to which the opposite ends of the cables are connected.

The pilot is thus advised of the presence of the disturbing actlon, before said action has the time to produce any appreciable maneuver can be made during night time.

in foggy weather, among clouds or the lilre. The whole of the apparatus is in its normal position only when no traction acts on the member C. As soon as this occurs,

the pilot has only to pull the member in the direction opposed to the traction. until he feels that the said traction vanishes. \Vhen instead he feels the traction on the other direction, as a consequence of the vanishing of the disturbing action, it is only necessar to return the member C to its normal position; where also the other pull is an nulled, the whole returning to the normal position.

Now when the pilot wishes to perform horizontal evolutions with the automatie control for the stability, the only thing he has to do, is to move the lever -C- toward the side to which he wishes to turn (For instance to the right) a distance corresponding to the character of the volntion. so that the tilting of the wings may produce a rise of a given angle of the plane to the left lowering in the meantime the plane to the right. Under the influence of such action, the following phenomenon assumes a course analogous to that of Fig. 1, except that the function of the disturbing action R is this time represented by the action -li(; of the wings operated by the pilot maneuver (Fig. 4;). In fact it is such action that, in the same manner as any disturbing action, tends to completely overturn the whole, and in fact is what occurs in the usual flying machines, if at a certain point the pilot does not stop its maneuver or does not reverse it.

In the present system instead, it is not necessary for the pilot to concern himself in regard to the same. Automatically, as the a} garatus tilts, the angle S between the body B-- and the elements --A- generates a gradual diminution of the inclination of the plane until having the whole assumed a predetermined degree (Fig. 5) the wings E- are arranged in their normal position with relation to the planes to which are respectively attached.

But in such conditions, the whole is still not in equilibrium. From the beginning of the transverse tilting of the planes, the trajectory, on account of the resulting drifting movement combined with the action generated from the lateral stability of the system, becomes from straight, curved in such manner that the higher plane moving with a speed superior to the other (because to the outside of the curve) is subjected to an aerodynamic action -Rp added to the action Re due to the action of the wings --E--, and while this diminishes the former gets stronger with the increasing of the tilting until it is completely neutralized, when the whole has attained the position of Fig. 5. But the movement of the whole progressive increase of the angle --S- causes the reverse inclination of the wings E-- generating a reaction of equilibrium -Re opposite to the tilting action -Rp. Considering now that the increase of this action, over a certain'value, is limited, while the other action increases continually with the inclination, there will be a time in which the two degrees are equivalent and the whole stops in the corresponding position of equilibrium (Fig. 6). The evolution takes place in such conditions, but if during it the equilibrium of the whole should be subjected to variations due to disturbing actions of extraordinary character, the pilot is advised by the pull acting upon the member C from the planes which tend to lower, and the pilot thus has ample time to provide the suitable corrections which are analogous to those of case shown in Fig. 3 for an ap paratus in normal flight. Moreover if during the evolution the pilot should note that the same is not as he wishes, to modify it, it

is only necessary for him to move the con trolling member toward the opportune d1- rection. I I

When the pilot has completed the evolution, to end the same, he has only to move the member -C- to its normal positlon. With this movement, the inclination of the wings --E-- is made larger, and as a consequence, the reaction Re overcoming the opposed reaction R;p will successively take the whole to the normal position (Fig. 7

Upon the performance of this function the value of the angle --S is reduced (Fig. 8) thus returning the wings -E- to their normal position. and as soon as said position is reached, the whole assumes its complete equilibrium (Fig. 9).

In the drawings, for clearness, the value of the angle S- has been with purpose exaggerated. In practice, with a very little value of said angle, given the entity of the weight -I- a momentum Pl is always aviable which will answer to the stress re quired by the movement of the wings -E- which stress has the same value of the force required from the pilot performing the corresponding movement of control.

The resilient connection between the element -A and the body B- of the apparatus, may assume any form (steel springs, helical or flat, rubber springs and the like) provided that the necessary relation be maintained between the inclination of the element -A- and the angle S.

The setting of the system is very simple, that is by regulating in the convenient manner the tension of the springs which control the degree of the angle S. A too strong tension has for its eiiect to lessen the sensibility of the system, so that the features of the apparatus are the same of any ordinary apparatus. A tension not strong enough has instead the effect of rendering too strong said sensibility, so that the transverse sensibility of the apparatus may assume such a degree that the degree of the angle S- is reduced. It is thus evident that it eventually one of the springs gets out of order, also in flight, there would be no harm, but only the production of the effects hereabove mentioned.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I claim is:

1. A system for stabilizing flying machines, characterized by a transverse resilient connection between the body of the machine and the planes to which said body is pivoted, controlling means, and transmitting means from the controlling means to the lateral stabilizingwings for automatically effecting the equilibrating action of the stabilizing wings either during normal flight or during any evolution performed by the apparatus, said transmitting means including a Weighted member carried by the body and cables connecting the wings and weighted member.

2. In a flying machine, a body, stabilizing wings, a pivotal connection between the wings and body, a weighted member, and cables with which the member is connected, said cables being crossed and secured to the wings.

3. In a flying machine, a body, stabilizing wings, a pivotal. connection between the wings and body, a weighted controlling lever at the center of gravity of the body, a plurality of guides, and cables secured to the controlling lever, said cables passing around the guides then crossed and secured to the wings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name inthe presence of two witnesses.

SALVATORE DE SANTIS. Witnesses:

MICHELE TURINE, CI-IRIS'IEN Mann. 

